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If the GOP rank and file is swinging into the Romney camp, national polls don’t show it yet. | Reuters

“There’s a [concern] that unlike everyone else, Newt really does think he has nothing else to lose,” said one Romney supporter. “Newt could become his own IE [independent expenditure committee].”

Paul, meanwhile, has long structured his campaign around a delegate-by-delegate march to the Tampa convention, while Santorum and Huntsman advisers indicated that the low delegate stakes in January gave their candidates a bit more breathing room to consider going forward.

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Former New Hampshire Gov. John Sununu, a top Romney adviser in the Granite State, acknowledged that despite his candidate’s anticipated win on Tuesday, “because of the new rules, it’ll take a long time” to lock up the nomination.

“If they win South Carolina, too, and Florida and are 4-0 and then win the next six, then they’re in good shape,” he said dryly.

Sununu elaborated at a POLITICO/Google event Monday night, explaining that unless the party limits candidate participation in debates, “You can hang on till June if you want to, as long as you can fly yourself to the debates.”

That the 2012 Republican primary may turn into a protracted affair should come as no surprise to the campaigns, or to the Republican Party leadership. Romney’s bid was originally designed for a 50-state struggle, when his supporters anticipated a more formidable array of challengers.

And besides, the Republican and Democratic National Committee rules governing delegate allocation were structured for the explicit purpose of allowing a longer primary season — banning early states from awarding all their delegates at once in order to give lesser-known candidates a fair opportunity to compete.

“If one candidate carries all three [leadoff] states and does so comfortably, obviously you’d rather be in the position where you are that candidate,” said David Norcross, a former RNC general counsel and committeeman from New Jersey. “Still, the delegate count question probably sticks around maybe through February, because they’re just not going to accumulate a lot of delegates. They’re going to accumulate a lot of attention, a lot of publicity, but they’re not going to be accumulating delegates.”

It would fall into the category of unintended consequences, then, if Romney’s underdog opponents take advantage of the party rules in a manner that chiefly serves to bleed the Republican front-runner.

Should the race reach a point next month where Romney appears to have an insurmountable edge, but his intraparty rivals persist in sniping at him in damaging ways, neutral party leaders — officials and strategists and the pundit class — could always step in and attempt to turn down the heat in the race.

Not all conservative opinion leaders are convinced that a lengthy primary would be a bad thing. Weekly Standard editor William Kristol — who said it’s “likely” that the party will see a longer battle to the nomination — suggested it could actually be beneficial.

“Hillary’s continuing to fight didn’t seem to hurt Obama in ’08. Reagan fought to the end in ’76 against Ford, and Ford promptly gained a huge amount of ground in the general election against Carter, almost catching him,” Kristol wrote in an email. “On the other hand, those running against McCain in ’08, Kerry in ’04, and Dole in ’96 ‘bowed to momentum’ — and that didn’t turn out so well.”

Added Kristol: “I’m against bowing. I’d prefer to take my chances on trusting the voters and letting them (in more than just a few states) decide.”

MANCHESTER, N.H. — Mitt Romney is poised to clock an easy victory here Tuesday, accomplishing a historic feat by winning back-to-back contests here and in Iowa and putting himself on a glide path to his party’s nomination.

Yes if Mitt Romney does win the Live Free Or Die state where he leads amoung all groups this will be historic..............

Mitt Romney has tremendous cross-political appeal. People from Reagan Democrats to ultra Conservatives like Robert Bork who co-chairs Romney's Judical Advisory committee....

If Romney gets the nomination Obama will be a one term president.

In the CBS poll released yesterday Americans approve of Obama's handling of the economy stands at 38%..........fatal.

Romney is the "right" one:

Jack Welch, Former CEO of General Electric

“In this case, [Mitt Romney] really is perfect as a candidate for President of the United States, in these tough economic times!”

“As a presidential candidate, Mitt Romney is the best I have ever seen in the last 50 years!”

STAPLES , HOME DEPOT , SEALY , Weather Channel , Domino's Pizza , and hundreds of other companies. Only 4 companies went bankrupt and only after about 10 years later for them not. Those that attack American free enterprise are indeed Socialist. Obama's Occupy Wall Street crowd will vote for Obama.

Then, on the other hand, it may be pleasant for Mr. Romney after New Hampshire primary today. Romney is probably the GOP's candidate.

The long, hard slog will more likely be for the one who has to explain why the federal debt will have risen from about $10 trillion to $16 trillion during his term in office. It will be hard for the U.S. liberal media to hide Obama's vast and ongoing fiscal profligacy, though they will try mightily. It may be difficult even for Politico to help the current president to justify nutty new spending opportunities like bullet trains which will never turn a profit.

Gingrich has a bad temper and is a big cry baby. Humpty Dumpty is helping Obama's relection

lol.................Yeah who knew that GingRich, Santorum, and Perry would be the DNC's and Obama's right- hand men..............or should we say left-hand men..........with their anti-Free market captialism attacks.

GingRich, Santorum, and Perry should drop out..............they're a disgrace to the party. None of them were even smart enough to get of Virginia's primary ballot and now we are learning that none of them made the Illinois state ballot either.......

These three incompetent blind mice need to drop out..................Romney has a robust national campaign and we need to turn our attention to Obama.........."the one-term one"...

Romney found himself under attack from one opponent (Gingrich) for his work in private equity,

newt gingrich has a lot of gall trying to trash Romney on Bain when, according to a recent POLITICO piece, newtie "was himself on an advisory board for a major investment firm that had a similar business model. Forstmann Little was a private equity firm.

"Forstmann Little earned billions of dollars in profits from its investments in companies including General Instrument and Gulfstream Aerospace. But the firm shut down most of its operations a decade ago after suffering losses from ill-timed bets on high-flying telecommunications companies at the height of that industry’s bubble."